The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-09-23
Our Labor Troubles.

The Rev. Il. w. Illman, In the Brattle
horo RefOrmer, gives his views more by Inn
nlicatiOn than by positive assertion OF the
labor troubles; that 1t arises from! selfish
| ness, avarice and lack OF that brother
hood of feeling that ought to exist between
enables the inscriptions TO acquire vast
possessions by corrupt and dishonest means
Is a great factor In producing discomfort
among the wage earners inferentially, at
least charging upon concentrated capital
the crime of depressing the wage Garner:
My sympathies all go ont towards the Ia
lOrer, whether 1t be in the capacity OF wage
worker or otherwise, but nave no nope OF
realizing a millennium In my lifetime nor In
deed for generations to come; when that
fraternity and brotherhood which the Rev.
gentlemen seem to regard as pre-exlsting
Condition of society necessary to the quiet
ing of the restlessness of the wage workers
throughout the civilized world; There al
ways has and there always Will De the IN,
dustrious, and the lazy and thrlftless ana
the latter always has and always VIII DC
enyiOus and Jealous of the former, regard-
less of whether wage workers or not. DO
not understand mo to mean that all wage
workers belong to the latter. class but what
do mean is that the man who, In this coun-
try, settles down to a life OF wage work Is
either deficient in ambition or Is dislncllned
to assume the cares and responslbllities OF
managing business for himself and there
fore seeks to shirk that responsibility by
going into the service of somebody else,
and Il seems is Just now waking up to the
fact that the employer Is making gain OUT
of his labor, and is highly indignant thereat;
Ignoring the fact that nobody but TOOL
would invest capital, employ labor ana
take the risks incident to business unless ne
supposed he would realize something more
tbor, so uoxu dollar for an old one. ~ IL Is
contrary to human nature. Taking care OF
and providing for ones own Is divine re-
quirement, and he who suppOSes that MS
neighbOrs will see to it that he and MS ram
ily have all the comforts and luXurieS OF the
most opulent are doomed to disapp0intment
AS rule, those who ecOnOmlze ana save
will in the end enjoy, reasonable caompe e
live" and spend as they go, become jeal-
GUS of the thrifty and denOunce the avarlce
of their employers. So, in my view OF the
case, although the theory of Mr.. lllman
may in a measure be correct, yet practical
ly it is impossible.
In former communication stated wnat
l believe to be the principle cause OF the Ia
Dor trouble, namely, too many wage work
ers for the work, and at the same time print
ed a remedy which though it would not
not give instant relief, had the advantage
of being practical and in the course OF q
comparatively brief time producing good
results Strikes among wage workers are
as a rule, pernicious and are, by far, more
disastrous to the employed than to their EN-,
ployers. The employer with his capital
can live white the idle labOrers are starving
All the boards of arbitration and make
shifts immaginable will fail to. heal the
trouble Just SO long as there is large sur
plus of wage workers for the work, The
idea of debating to an employer who. ne
shall employ, how many hours they shall
work and what their wages shall be, is
tyranny of but short life.
When it comes to that, that an employer
is Obliged to submit the management of his
business to his employers, who perhaps are
thriftless, indOlent or happy go lucky. sort
of fellows, that business will be short lived.
NJ. L.